Bible among top ten most challenged books in 2015

Holy Bible makes it in to the list of top ten most challenged books in the world.

The American Library Association (ALA) carried out 275 official challenges to various books in schools and libraries. After the research project, the American Library Association compiled a list of top ten most challenged books.

For the first time, Holy Bible made it in to the list of top 10 most challenged books. The prime reason behind being challenged is the “religious viewpoint.” The American Library Association further explained that the ideological grounds could be the reason for the appearance of the Holy Bible in the list of “Most Challenged Books’ List of 2015.”

James LaRue- Director of American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF), says, “You have people who feel that if a school library buys a copy of the Bible, it’s a violation of church and state. And sometimes there’s a retaliatory action, where a religious group has objected to a book and a parent might respond by objecting to the Bible.”

According to a recent Life Way Research study, three out of five Americans are of an opinion that religious liberty has been declining in the US. The report further states that, all together, two out of five Americans believe that Christians complain too much about how they’re being treated.

As a general trend, American Library Association tallies 300 to 600 challenges per year. However, last year, the number dropped last year as compared to 2014’ 311 and 2013’ 307. Further the Association further stated that the Islamic holy book, Qur’an also received challenges. However, the challenges posed to Qur’an are fewer than those posed to the Bible. James LaRue further explained that the challenges based on “religious viewpoint” have decreased to a considerable extent.

Rachel Barach- General Manager of Bible Gateway said, “The Bible has been criticized, challenged, and banned by individuals, groups, and governments through centuries of persecution.”

In times past, ban on Bible in China, was the most eminent censorship which resulted in Christian missionaries sneaking in with suitcases full of Bibles. On the other hand, Bible faced censorship, in Malaysia. About 300 copies of Bibles were seized by the authorities about two years ago for using “Allah” for God. While on the other hand, Brunei imposed a ban on 19 religious words; prohibiting Christians to use them.

Andrew Hood- Director of communications at the American Bible Society, says, “The Bible – the most translated and best-selling book of all time – has informed centuries of literature, government, philosophy and social behavior,” he said. “To exclude it from public libraries and schools would be to diminish access to the most influential book of all time.”